About
Who are you?
I'm a cartographer, urbanist and author, and I live in New York City. I grew up in San Francisco and lived in L.A. for a while before I landed in New York. Most recently, I wrote a book called The Lost Subways of North America based on my acclaimed cartographic series of the same name, published by University of Chicago Press. I'm fascinated by how data visualizations - like maps - influence how we perceive the world around us.
I also have a day job as a lawyer.
How do you make your historical maps?
I rely on a lot of archival research. All of the maps in The Lost Subways are based on primary sources. I've gotten some records from public records requests; others come from library research collections; a few are from the Internet Archive. Once I have sufficient original material in hand, I research the visual language of the period I'm trying to depict. It just doesn't feel right to use Helvetica to depict 1925 - much less 1865.
Once I have all that down, I start plotting the maps. Initial drafts are done with pen and paper, and I do the final work in Adobe Illustrator.
What if I want something special from you?
I'm happy to talk about speaking engagements, custom art or writing gigs. Shoot me an email.
Can I reuse your designs?
All works are copyrighted by me, the artist, all rights reserved. If you’re interested in licensing my work, contact me.
Why Fifty-Three?
My grandmother’s house was No. 53, and I borrowed her house number.